Bond's Crossroads
by Devil'sBlade
Summary: Children only take the names as name, nothing more, nothing less. It was in that playground that their friendship started, and it was in that playground that their friendship ended. He was a genius, one that can adapt easily. She was always someone who was respected, always faced with a series of crossroads. Will she cross it with him? Or she'd go alone?


**This took almost a month to be completed but I'm happy that it's done. This is dedicated to MRP whose birthday was a month ago. Sorry I just finished it just now. **

**Special thanks to lilybunnyboo18 who proofread this oneshot though she was busy with her schoolwork. **

**Disclaimer: I still don't own PoT.**

* * *

The solid white precipitate covered some parts of the ground. A girl sat by one of the benches near the flowerpots. Her layered shoulder length raven hair cascaded freely behind her, protecting her nape from the harsh temperature. She heaved a sigh as she readjusted her blue scarf. The cold wind tickled the exposed skin of two pale hands. She apparently decided to forget her gloves at home, and tried to enjoy the winter sunset like she used to, only this time, she was all by herself. She blew warm air to her hands and rubbed them together.

The playground was almost empty. Two days ago, the first snow fell to the ground, giving joy to kids who wanted to play with it. Most of the crowd at this time of the day at winter were young adults, sitting by the benches near the dried cherry blossoms. A date before Christmas Eve, perhaps? If she was ten years younger, she would have found that scene cute (but then there's always this voice at the back of her mind that would tell her that it's improper for teenagers to be doing that).

Her lilac eyes travelled to the equipments present on the playground, completely ignoring the couple who sat across her. This place, it seemed, became her refuge from all her anxieties. Romance writers who always wrote about finding love in the middle of the harsh December air were sadistic persons, she realized. Nothing is romantic about the being out in the cold, even if a knight in shining armor, by some miracle, came and swept her off her feet. However, if it were another season, she would also complain about romance writers and their tendency to find that season romantic.

Seishun Tomoyo was never fond of romance novels anyway. And yet she wondered why she was still there hoping for _him_ to come, and offer that genuine smile.

She heaved another sigh. It seemed the more one hopes for something, one knew it would be impossible; the more painful it gets. Fate was the most sadistic creature roaming the earth, Tomoyo learned. No one would have understood how cruel the hands that stitched the lives of people if one didn't experienced its sadistic tendencies.

* * *

_The smiling tensai sat by the bench on the sidelines of the court as he waited for his little brother. They agreed to have a match in the public tennis courts near their residence. The brunette ignored the growing crowd at the court across him covered by vending machines. For some reason, it was unusually crowded. _

"_Aniki!" A familiar voice called from behind. The always present smile from the tensai became wider as he whipped his head to the side. _

"_Yuuta, I'm glad you made it." Syuusuke rose from his seat. Yuuta gave a curt nod. _

_The noise from the court across them became louder. When Syuusuke passed by it, the crowd were composed of grade schoolers who shared the same interest in tennis. Two little boys were having a friendly match. Judging by the noise, most people from the crowd were girls, squealing in delight. Syuusuke would rather, he decided, not to get close to it. Those kinds of crowd were hard to deal with._

_The younger Fuji glanced at the court covered by vending machines and gave his older brother a disbelieving look. Syuusuke was earlier than him and yet-_

"_Is something wrong, Yuuta?" The smile was slowly turning to a frown as Syuusuke asked. _

_For a tensai, he seemed to be not curious enough… at least for now. _

_Yuuta heaved a sigh. "Atobe of Hyotei is here." _

_That was when the tensai's curiosity perked up, and his smile returned. It's rare for someone who actually had a castle filled with tennis courts inside out to actually go outside to a commoner's place to play the sport. _

O~O~O

_Both brothers managed to get in front (without injuries or whatsoever) and got a better view of the court. Atobe Keigo stood on the court, back facing the Fuji brothers. His opponent remained unknown for he was blocking their view of her. _

"_Hametsu e Rondo!" The known narcissist exclaimed, a confident smirk present on his face. This game will be his, he knew it. _

_The girl across his court positioned both hands on her racquet. She gripped on the hilt tightly, eyes only on the yellow ball. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the absurdity of the idea of yelling the name of the technique as if it will ensure one's victory. The ball got contact with her racquet and she tried to return it but to no avail. Her grip on her racquet loosened, much to her displeasure, and she lost another point. Damn that Keigo!_

_Atobe smirked as he ran a hand through those silver locks before snapping. "Be awed by ore-sama's prowess."_

_The snap was followed by the squeals of some girls from the crowd. _

"_You're making this too easy for me, Tomoyo." Atobe remarked._

_Tomoyo rolled her eyes as she tied her shoulder length black hair in a low ponytail. Afterwards, she dusted off her white collared shirt. She would make a mental note that if she asked Atobe to accompany her to a walk, she'd make him leave his tennis bag at home so she won't actually challenge him. She wanted to punch herself for her stupidity of challenging Atobe freaking Keigo. _

_Atobe moved back to the baseline, preparing to serve. _

_Tomoyo let out a breath. The sooner she loses, the sooner the game will finish. Her eyes travelled to the crowd, completely accepting her fate in the game. Her brows furrowed upon seeing someone familiar in the midst of some interested men and squealing girls. The brunette who had his eyes slightly closed, she hypothesized, seemed someone she knew. _

_Their gazes met. Cerulean met lilac. _

_Realization struck Tomoyo. Her lips curved up in a smile and she raised her free hand to wave. "Fuji's nii-san!" She exclaimed with enthusiasm, her gaze locked to the older Fuji. _

_Syuusuke returned the smile, raising his hand to wave-_

_-The yellow ball landed on her head, Atobe's serve bringing her back to the reality that she should be facing, and painfully reminding her that she was playing against Atobe Keigo. _

"_Tomoyo!" Atobe called out. He dropped his racquet and headed towards the girl who fell on her knees at the impact of the ball. He shouldn't have put force in that, since he knew that she was currently distracted, he grimaced at the thought. _

"_You idiot!" Tomoyo sat up, glaring daggers at the taller boy. _

_Atobe rolled his eyes. By the sound of it, she was still fine. The narcissist put a hand on his hip, smirking as he raised a brow. "Ore-sama cannot fathom, Tomoyo, as to why you, of all people, didn't see it?" _

_Tomoyo opened her mouth to protest only to shout it close when she couldn't find any witty replies. _

_Atobe's smirk widened. "And you, gofer, are the idiot here." He held out a hand for her. _

_It was Tomoyo's turn to roll her eyes. She gripped on his wrist tightly and pulled herself up. "You, Keigo, are not my leash. At least be kind to your dearest cousin." Her attention was back to Syuusuke again. _

"_Are you-" Atobe didn't finish his sentence when Tomoyo ran pass him, as if she had completely forgotten about his existence. Damn spoiled girl!_

"_Fuji's nii-san!" A grin was present on Tomoyo's face as she neared the brunette, calling Syuusuke by the name she gave him when they were five years old. "Yuuta-kun, long time no see." She glanced at the younger Fuji. _

"_Seishun-san," Yuuta gave a curt nod. _

_Tomoyo faced Syuusuke, mind lost in thought of what she would say to him or how to start a conversation after so many years of separation. Syuusuke may not be her first friend, but he was one of the people she treasured the most. _

_Syuusuke was somehow amused by the whole situation. "Seishun-chan." _

_Tomoyo pouted, disliking the way he called her. Payback, perhaps for calling him 'Fuji's nii-san?' But that smile on his face made Tomoyo forget about sulking. She chuckled instead. "You don't have to be so mean, Syuusuke-san."_

"_You started it, Tomoyo-san." _

_Atobe approached the three, a displeased frown indicating of pure anger towards the girl. She demanded Atobe to walk with her after tea, challenged him to a tennis match claiming with a smug look on her face that she could beat him, diverting her attention away from the game, calling him an idiot after getting hit by her own stupidity, and then ignoring him. He wondered of their blood relation at times. "Tomoyo, you ingra-"_

_Tomoyo rolled her eyes as she silently groaned. "Oh please Keigo," She turned to Atobe, putting a hand on her hip. "I was doing you a favour when I allowed you to play tennis with me." _

_The Fuji brothers, however, didn't doubt of their familial relation. _

_Atobe raised a brow at Tomoyo's challenge. Cousin or not, Atobe Keigo wouldn't yield to her. "Just so you-"_

_Tomoyo whipped her head towards Syuusuke. "Syuusuke-san, let's go to a café nearby. It's really been a while." She completely ignored Atobe, again. _

_Atobe glared at the older Fuji, daring him to accept that invitation. Syuusuke seemed to reconsider. His smile was slowly disappearing as he put a hand on his chin. _

_Tomoyo waited. _

_Syuusuke nodded in reply much to Tomoyo's delight and to Atobe's displeasure_.

* * *

A picture of an empty sandbox in the playground was posted in one of the walls of the museum. The light below gave more effect on the lighting of the background sunset. A bucket of sand was behind the almost completed sand castle made by some kids. A plastic trowel was lay forgotten on the side.

Below the landscape was the name of the photographer who took the scene at that particular time of the day. _Fuji Syuusuke._ The person behind the photo that garnered most of the award in the exhibit.

For a passerby, the picture wouldn't be interesting enough. But then, the way on how the photographer played with the lights and used the lighting of the museum to his own advantage was truly praiseworthy. The awarding took place a few days ago. The museum would be open to the public on Christmas day.

O~O~O

Fuji Syuusuke was caught in the middle of rush hour. He didn't plan to go outside at that particular time, but then his father needed a ride to the airport. A problem overseas occurred and the head of the Fuji family was needed. Somethings never change, it seemed. The Fuji siblings were encouraging their father to retire and spend the rest of his life with their mother. Their father would just respond with a chuckle and a shook of his head.

He should have arrived sooner in their house. Fuji Yoshiko, clad in her knee length dress and white apron, was already preparing for Christmas Eve. Yumiko and Yuuta were already decorating the Christmas tree in their living room.

Syuusuke headed upstairs to his room and grabbed his camera. Moments like these, he thought, were ought to be captured. They were more than just printed pictures placed in a wooden frame or in an album... they were memories that can be treasured in this changing world.

A chuckle escaped his lips as he adjusted the lens of his camera. Don't they annually do that? Yumiko may have her own family, and Yuuta was starting in his work, thus he was always away, and Syuusuke also travel from time to time as well, but then, the siblings made it a point to celebrate Christmas as a family. Some things never change.

The smile dissipated as he descended the flight of stairs. _However, _he thought as his hands left his camera and let it hung loosely on his neck. A certain photo of when he was in middle school caught his attention. His eyes glued on a certain girl. _There are things that are needed to change. _Ignoring the painful feeling inside his chest, he headed to the living room with the intent to take a photo of his siblings decorating the tree.

* * *

"_Photography, huh?" The brunette nodded. _

_Tomoyo raised a brow as she examined the pictures that were scattered on the dining table. It was Christmas Eve. Syuusuke just took a picture of the tree that they decorated. That year, the tree was more special compared to last year. His father wasn't able to come, but then, Tomoyo filled that gap for them... at least for him._

"_You're taking pictures again, nii-san." Yuuta took the seat beside his older brother. _

_Tomoyo looked up from the photos. She glanced at the counter where the two older women preparing the feast for Christmas Eve. Her eyes then travelled to the two brothers sitting across her. Syuusuke looked genuinely happy. She whipped her head towards the door leading to the living room. _

_Picture frames were hanging above the fire place. Even though Yuuta wasn't the kind to smile often, the Yuuta in that family portrait was smiling. In fact, they were all smiles while they are spending time with each other. _

_Unlike her family... her parents would only smile if Tomoyo had met their standards. It was always a thrift smile. Her grandparents told her during the time when they hired a professional photographer for their family portrait that smiling was for commoners. They are Seishun's, a well-known family in the area that came from the lineage of a noble family. Even the school nearby was named after them, because they contributed a lot of funds for the construction of it, thus the name Seishun Gakuen. People would often misinterpret it as a school owned by the Seishun's. _

_Does keeping a straight face, Tomoyo wondered, degrade one's status if they slightly curve it up in a smile? _

_Yoshiko put a tray of snacks on the table. "I hope you're enjoying our company, Tomoyo-san."_

_Tomoyo nodded as she smiled at the matriarch. "I'm really thankful for your invitation, Yoshiko-san." _

"_Kaa-san, Syuusuke, Yuuta, come here quick!" Yumiko shouted from the living room. The three looked at each other. "Tou-sama called!" _

_Their faces seemed to brighten up. _

_Yoshiko's smile widened. Yuuta and Syuusuke were already on their way towards the living room to have a chance to talk with their father. _

"_Oh my, they must have missed him a lot." Yoshiko commented as he watched the two walked hurriedly. _

_Tomoyo only nodded. "Yoshiko-san, you go too." _

_Yoshiko's brows furrowed. "It's not right to just leave you here, Tomoyo-san."_

_The younger girl shook her head. "I'll be fine. You must have missed your husband too, Yoshiko-san." _

_Spending Christmas Eve with the warm company of others was really a new experience for Tomoyo. If it weren't for Syuusuke, she wouldn't have experienced the joy Christmas Eve. Their Christmas tree was always decorated by their maids. She never got the chance to see how they put it up. Her younger twin siblings were in England, probably also spending the holiday with themselves. Her grandparents were in France, attending a party hosted by one of her grandfather's friends. Her parents were probably attending a party hosted by one of their business partners in another country as well. Her older brother was probably still working hard as ever. Since he was assigned in Kyoto, he rarely calls to say hi, or even ask if she's doing fine. Social events were more important than holidays like this. That's just how it works in their family. _

_The way the four of them would flock around the telephone as they took turns in talking to the missing member had a warm feeling creeping inside Tomoyo. She grabbed Syuusuke's camera that was left on the table and took a photo of it. Deep inside, she was proud of herself. Syuusuke's not the only one who could capture those moments that took his interest. She put the camera back down and watched the Fuji's. They were all smiling, as if that call made the patriarch come back to their home. _

_Somehow, she envied Syuusuke's family. This was what they call home. Unlike hers. Though she may live in a castle, and be served by people that she only knew by their faces, she never felt welcome in that family unless she did something that pleased them. _

_The smile slowly disappeared from her lips. The floor became interesting at the moment. _

'_If only we are like that...' Tomoyo thought._

* * *

Tomoyo listened to the voice messages the people who called. Christmas Eve was just another day of her life. She was alone in that mansion, yet again. Her family has attended another affair. She'd rather spend the day at work, interpreting spreadsheets, graphs and financial statements of their stocks than spend the day with nothing to do other than reminisce about her past regrets. For goodness sake she majored law, and only minored in marketing. She wanted something more than presenting financial statements in front of the board.

Being born to a family with a flourishing history and of good reputation was a curse. The only friends she ever had was Keigo, and he doesn't count because he's a family and-

-there's Fuji Syuusuke.

It's been five years since she last heard of him. Perhaps he'd be the last person that she would consider as a true friend. Nowadays, her friendship with other people was bonded by the money affairs, and of financial power.

A chuckle escaped her lips. She pocketed her hands that were shivering from the cold. She forgot to wear gloves again. Most of the time, the cold never bothered her... she'd rather face the cold weather outside than to face the cold treatment coming from her parents. They expected more from her, they'd say. Five years of working in the company and what had she done to deserve a high position, they'd ask.

Her brother would reassure her that as long as she did her best, their parents would give her the praises she deserved. When that was going to happen, she didn't know. She had given up a lot just so she could meet those expectations and-

-Tomoyo's brows furrowed when her hand came in contact with something glossy inside her pocket. She pulled it out and examined the little strip of paper. A small smile was formed on her lips.

"Photo exhibit, huh?" She breathed out.

She pivoted and walked to the opposite direction. Perhaps she should stop going to that playground. The place held a lot of memories… most of which were happy ones. Remembering those memories, she could taste some sort of bitterness with every chuckle, and she could feel something stirring within her. A horrible feeling.

The museum, she assumed, was a nice place to go to once in a while.

* * *

_A five year old Syuusuke ran towards the playground with enthusiasm. Classes ended and Yuuta will be waiting for him in the playground near their neighbourhood. He turned to the corner, clutching on the straps of his bag tightly. _

"_Yuuta!" Syuusuke's brows furrowed, the smile turning to a frown. His excitement from before slowly turned to confusion, and anger. _

_Beside the sand box were two kids, almost the same age as Syuusuke. The girl was standing, short raven hair tied in two low pigtails. She was pouting, brows furrowed as she thought of possible ways to cheer the younger boy who was crouching in front of her. Syuusuke knew her as Seishun Tomoyo, his new seatmate. The little boy with the same brunette hair was his little brother, Yuuta. _

"_Don't cry! They're gone!" Tomoyo's high pitched voice echoed in the playground. But then, the crouching brunette cried harder. She fished out a candy from her dress pocket and handed it out to Yuuta. "Here, if you stop crying, I'll let you take my last piece. It's the best candy in the world!" She said with enthusiasm. _

_For a moment, Syuusuke's glare directed towards Tomoyo disappeared. He examined his little brother and found no scratches on him. If Yuuta was hurt, Syuusuke would make sure that he'd regret it. "Yuuta!" Syuusuke called out, opening his arms to welcome his brother. _

_Yuuta whipped his head towards the direction of the voice. He got on his feet and ran towards Syuusuke. "Aniki!" The little boy hurled himself towards the slightly taller boy. Syuusuke wrapped an arm around Yuuta while the other patted his back soothingly. _

"_What's wrong, Yuuta?" Syuusuke asked._

_Tomoyo walked towards the brothers, the candy still within her grasps. "Some big kids were telling him to go away because they want the sandbox for themselves." She supplied an explanation as she looked worriedly at Yuuta. "I threw sand at them and told them to get lost. They are from my school." She looked down, slightly ashamed of what she had done. "And then he cried." Yuuta hugged Syuusuke tightly. Tomoyo grimaced at the sight of the frightened boy. _

"_Thank you, Seishun-san." Syuusuke smiled at her. _

_Tomoyo looked up, a tint of pink coloring her cheeks as a small smile was formed on her lips. It was the first time that someone thanked her. "It's really nothing, uhm" _

"_Fuji, Fuji Syuusuke." Syuusuke held out his hand to her. _

"_Seishun Tomoyo. Nice to meet you Fuji's nii-san!" She grinned as she shook his hand. _

* * *

The clicking of the camera was heard. Syuusuke took another picture of his niece who sat by the bench in the shopping district. A few meters away from the grocery store was her limit, it seemed. Amiko puffed her cheek as she massaged her aching knees. She got her mother's blue eyes and her father's curly black hair.

"Uncle, can we please go home now?" Amiko asked with teary eyes. "I'm tired." She looked like an angel tired from fluttering her wings.

Syuusuke chuckled as he crouched in front of the kid. "A few more minutes. Your mother will go out of the grocery store soon. We can't leave her, okay?"

Amiko nodded.

Syuusuke got up and sat beside his niece.

He looked up the gray skies, his hands caressing his camera. Ten years ago, he also took his very first winning photo in the same spot. He chuckled at the thought. He looked down, eyes examining the small camera that he held. It wasn't the camera that he normally use when working. Compared to the latest models that he used, this camera was nothing. It's not waterproof. The resolution wasn't that good as compared to the one he normally used. But this camera held a very special place in his heart.

It was a gift from _her._

And probably the only thing that could keep on reminding of her. He always asks himself if she hadn't carried that last name, would she be sitting beside him instead of cutting her ties with everyone.

She left him without saying anything.

She was foolish to believe that she could escape what was fated for her.

They were foolish to just let those moments of friendship slip away.

He was foolish to believe that one day she'd show up and tell him the things he wanted to hear from her.

Sometimes, Syuusuke wonders if Tomoyo had also felt the same way he did. He couldn't control such feelings, and at times he blamed it in youth's folly. If only he tried harder, then maybe-

-Amiko was leaning against his arm. Her breathing could be heard at that distance.

Syuusuke chuckled.

_Then maybe, there was hope that the red string connected the two of them._

* * *

"_Another marriage interview?" Tomoyo glared at Syuusuke as she took a bite of her strawberry short cake. She wore a white frilled buttoned blouse and a knee-length blue skirt. _

_Syuusuke chuckled. He almost didn't recognize her with the light make-up she wore and the high heels he didn't know Tomoyo was capable of wearing when she entered the café. _

"_Why would nii-san compliment that brat? He can't even tie his own shoe! I was late in that stupid marriage interview and he told me that he doesn't like me." Tomoyo complained as she put a hand on her head, brows furrowed. "What is with us and marriage interviews anyway? It's not like I even wanted to go in the first place. The feeling's mutual!" Even Keigo complained to Tomoyo about marriage interviews. But then, all they can do, she painfully knew, was to complain. _

_Syuusuke sipped from his cup of coffee. After they graduated from middle school, Tomoyo's marriage interviews increased. The hot beverage soothed his senses. His camera was lying beside him, forgotten at the moment. _

"_Syuusuke-kun," Tomoyo put the fork on the side of the plate and opened her bag that was lying beside her. _

_Syuusuke looked up, slightly tilting his head to the side. The smile was turning to a thin line of frown. _

_A green wrapping paper designed with prints of red apples wrapped which seemed to be a box. Tomoyo was grinning as she pushed to box towards him. Syuusuke's smile was reappearing on his face. She remembered._

"_It's one of the rare times that it's your actual birthday." She started. "Happy birthday, Syuusuke-kun!" _

_Syuusuke couldn't control his smile. _

"_I hope you'd like it." Tomoyo stared at him. "Come on, open it!" She encouraged. _

_Syuusuke grabbed the box and put it to the side, much to Tomoyo's displeasure. "I think I'll open it at home." _

_Tomoyo pursed her lips and gave a glare. She rose from her seat and reached for the gift. Her free hand slightly pushed his coffee to the side, and placed the gift there. "Open it." She hissed._

_Syuusuke laughed. She won't accept a no. He neatly ripped the gift wrap. His fully opened when the wrappings were removed. It's a camera, much smaller than the one he normally uses. He examined it. It was lighter, and convenient._

"_Do you like it? It took me a month to decide." Tomoyo informed him as she leaned her cheek against the back of her hand. "Since you love taking photos, I figured it wouldn't be convenient if you carry that huge camera with you every day."_

O~O~O

_Tomoyo waited by in one of the benches in the shopping district. Syuusuke and she agreed to meet at the place since they would be shopping for some tennis equipments. _

_Someone came from the side, the shadow shading her from the sun. She whipped her head to the side, hair following her movement. Her eyes caught sight of a flash, and she heard the clicking of the camera. _

"_Perfect." Syuusuke looked up from the camera. Tomoyo wasn't the kind to stay still. She never liked posing, she told him one time, especially if it was their family portrait. But then, it was understandable considering the fact that her parents rarely smiles even though it's a family portrait._

_Tomoyo was glaring at him. "Syuusuke, you know how much I hate-"_

_Syuusuke only smiled at her. "It's not always that bad, Tomo-chan." She raised a brow inquisitively as she scoot over. "Taking a photo doesn't mean the person should smile." He sat beside her. "Capturing moments is what photography's about. It doesn't have to be a happy moment." _

_Tomoyo sighed as she got up. How would he understand? _

"_But then," Syuusuke rose from his seat as well. "Photos that bring a family together should have smiles, don't you think so?" _

_Tomoyo nodded. Of course he does, she thought. His family, after all, was almost the same as hers. _

* * *

Tomoyo stared at the nameplate below the picture of the playground. A smile found its way to her lips, eyes never leaving the rectangular figure. Memories came flooding her mind of that particular place.

That's one thing she hated about photos. It never moves… it stays still. And all one could do was reminisce about the event. Even if one wished to return back to those times.

"Ah, it's the young man's work again, huh?" A group of men stopped beside her to see the picture.

"He's really a promising young man." Another added.

_Of course he is._ Tomoyo thought with pride. A smirk was on her face as she listened to their compliments.

"At such a young age, his documentaries are also winning a lot of awards. He's truly a genius."

Tomoyo slightly nodded in approval and smirked. She left the group of men and headed to the exit. That was the only thing she wanted to see. His technique seemed to always improve. Perhaps that's what you get when you love what you're doing.

The outside, as expected, was colder. She embraced herself, pulling her scarf up to her lips and inserting her hands inside the pocket of her coat. The streets were filled with people at that time of the day. Tomoyo wondered if it was always this populated. All she could see were smiles of children and their parents as they hold each other. She looked away and focused on the road. As a child, she never experienced bonding with her parents that lasted a day. It was always a fake smile in front of their business partners.

The world she walks on… it's always about appearances.

Tomoyo stopped when she saw white lines on the ground. She looked up the traffic light. The traffic was heavier than that of yesterday. There's still a minute before she could cross the intersection.

Funny, how everything is always caught up in a cross road.

And every time she was caught up with it, she'd always choose to cross it alone. Would it be different if she at least has someone with her to cross it?

* * *

_The sakura was most beautiful at that time of the season. The sidewalk leading to their school was covered by the pink petals. Syuusuke stopped and pulled out the small camera out of his bag. He angled it in a way that pleased him and took shots of the scenery. _

"_Fujiko!" A red head came from behind, grinning as he ran towards the brunette. "We're going to be late for practice if we don't hurry up!"_

_Syuusuke averted his gaze from the camera to his red head teammate. "Just a minute, Eiji." He peeked through the viewer again to capture his last photo for the morning. He could only see black through the glass. _

"_Nya~" Kikumaru blinked, an amused smile already present on his face. _

_Syuusuke straightened up and chuckled. He put the camera down. "You can always ask me to take a photo of you, Tomo-chan." _

_Tomoyo rolled her eyes as she tucked stray strands of her hair behind her ear. "As if I'd like to be your model." She averted her gaze from him, heart beating faster than necessary. Could he hear it, she wondered. "Enough of that, let's just go inside." _

_Kikumaru snickered. "Look Fujiko, To-chan is jealous of your camera." He bounced behind Tomoyo and pulled her forward, hands clumping her shoulders gently._

_Tomoyo frowned. "Am not!" She exclaimed louder than she wanted. Her cheeks already had a shade of pink. She glanced at Syuusuke. He was smiling as usual. 'Probably not.' She thought. A heavy feeling inside made her more uncomfortable than she was. _

"_We better go!" Kikumaru whined as he pulled the two towards the gate._

_Tomoyo glanced at Syuusuke, her fists clenching. If she tells him how she feels… the thought alone made her bite her lower lip. It was ridiculous, she knew it. He's a tensai, someone who made a name because he earned their respect._

_On the other hand… she earned their respect out of fear. Because she carries the name Seishun. The school was named after her family because they contributed a lot of funds. She came from a family with a rich history. She was respected because of that name. _

_Though Syuusuke was her first friend, she's not an elegant girl. She doesn't fit his standards. She may have developed feelings for him… but she doubted he would. _

* * *

Syuusuke stayed by the playground. His brother-in-law fetched his sister and his niece to have some family time. The little girl was enthusiastic to see her father.

Working in the media really took a lot of his energy. He would play tennis with his friends during his awaited free times. His work was always composed of deadlines, schedules, and scripts. He chuckled. His passion, they would ask, wasn't really a passion. It started out as a hobby. Then, as time went by, he wanted to make those pictures move. His talent in photography was acknowledged by a director, and he was recommended to an even greater project.

At least his work took most of his thoughts away from the memories that kept on bugging him.

The picture of the playground was taken five years ago… when he chose to shut his eyes in the reality. That carrying that name wasn't that hard for Tomoyo.

Because a part of him hoped that he had a chance. That t_hey _had a chance.

* * *

_It was White Day. Syuusuke waited by the museum that noon. Tomoyo was always fond of paintings, so this was his return gift, considering the fact that she went through the trouble of making him some chocolates _despite her busy schedule_. _

_Three hours passed and Syuusuke was sitting on the bench outside the museum. He checked his phone for messages. He tried to call her but to no avail. It was odd that Tomoyo hadn't said anything yet if she cannot come. _

_A couple of hours passed. The sun was already setting. The museum closes at 5 pm. The sky was getting darker but Syuusuke was still on that spot, waiting for her to come. A heavy feeling inside his chest was disturbing him. He tried to ignore it but there's that voice inside his head that kept on catalyzing his doubts. He would lie if he didn't say that he was disappointed._

"_Syuusuke-kun!" The voice snapped him out of his thoughts. _

_Syuusuke rose up, relief flooding his system. "Tomo-chan, where have you-" He shut his mouth when he saw her. She wore a blue blouse accentuated with frills and a pair of black slacks. Her eyes were red and puffy. Did she just cry? _

_She stopped in front of him, hands on her knees as she caught her breath. "Sorry I came late." She took in deep breaths. "I presented something in front of the board. I just embarrassed myself and wasted their time." She was smiling. But her eyes betrayed her smile. _

"_Tomo-chan…" Syuusuke muttered. "What happened?"_

_Tomoyo rose up, eyes pleading. "Let's have dinner, please?" She didn't want to talk about it. _

_They waited for the go signal to cross the intersection. Tomoyo walked ahead, only to stop midway when she realized that he wasn't following. _

"_Tomoyo," Syuusuke's eyes were fully opened. Tomoyo didn't have the courage to avert her gaze from those cerulean eyes. "Just where is this heading?" _

_She didn't know as well. _

_She was afraid of the possibilities that may come. _

_That was the last time that Syuusuke saw her._

* * *

Tomoyo sat by the bench in the playground, again. She cursed under her breath when she realized that she forgot her scarf and her gloves again. Her coat didn't help her to survive the cold as well.

But then that morning she found courage to call him. Fuji answered her call surprisingly. He said that he'd come to the playground after he was done with his work. She didn't have a choice, really. Their company needed _him, _the genius to work for them. Her father, it seemed, also marvelled at Fuji's works.

She was getting nervous as each moment passed by. The temperature was becoming more unfavourable for her. She wanted to go home and get a few more articles of clothing, but she doesn't want to risk the chance of seeing him again.

And Syuusuke promised that he'll meet her.

That was enough for her, even if this meant business.

Tomoyo couldn't feel half of her body because of the cold. She fought the urge to sleep, because it would be stupid of her to do so.

When Syuusuke arrived, Tomoyo was half asleep. He shook her and called her name so many times just to keep her awake. He was saying a lot of things, which she couldn't decipher. But she was sure that it came along the lines of her being an idiot for staying out in such a cold weather.

Syuusuke's heart was beating fast. Adrenaline rushed through his system. He immediately scooped her up and carried her towards his car. It was his fault she stayed out in the open. The problem in the office took longer than usual. If anything happened to her, he wouldn't forgive himself. All anger and disappointment left him when she saw Tomoyo sitting in a corner freezing cold.

When he received her call that morning, he considered not answering it. But then, five years of distance was a torture, at least for him. He'd be lying to himself if he'd say he didn't want to see her again. Tomoyo's tone when speaking with him was professional. Syuusuke was disappointed to discover that the call was business related. But he accepted the offer nonetheless.

O~O~O

It was midnight when Tomoyo woke up. She rose up and realized that she was lying on the couch near the fireplace. Pictures of familiar people graced her presence. Three layers of blankets covered her body. They kept her warm as opposed to the cold she felt moments ago.

Realization suddenly struck her. She woke up in someone else's house. She threw the blankets off her in panic and looked for the switch. Though the fire provided light, it was still not enough for her to know her exact location.

Before she could take another step, the lights were on. A woman about fifty years or so stood by the door, a cup of hot water within her grasps. She had a brunette hair with streaks of gray in some areas. Her perpetually closed eyed smile welcomed Tomoyo. "I'm glad you're awake, Seishun-san." She put the cup on top of the table and headed to Tomoyo.

Tomoyo blinked in confusion. "Yoshiko-san?"

"Syuusuke came here carrying you. It was the first time I saw him panic." Yoshiko chuckled delightfully. "He was saying that it was his fault. He didn't leave your side until you stopped shivering."

Tomoyo looked down. She wanted to bang her head in the wall. "I'm sorry for the trouble."

Yoshiko shook her head. "It's rare to see my son in a state of panic." Tomoyo only smiled. "Besides, it's been a while since you left. I'll prepare a room for you. It's getting cold outside, and I can't just let you go out. How about you spend the night here?"

Tomoyo wanted to decline, but then considering what the Fuji matriarch said, it's better to stay. She nodded. "Thank you, Yoshiko-san."

The next day, Tomoyo walked back to their house. Syuusuke insisted that he'd walk her there since it's only a few blocks away. After much persuasion, Tomoyo finally gave in.

Syuusuke was a few steps behind Tomoyo. He opened his mouth to say something… anything, but he cannot find his voice. There were a lot of questions bugging him, and he needed an answer.

"Syuusuke-kun," Tomoyo stopped and slowly turned to him. "Why did you accept this offer?" She asked, hoping that the uncomfortable silence won't settle with them again.

"I still have no projects at the moment." Syuusuke lied. The fact that he was late yesterday testified that his hands were full.

"Is that so?" Tomoyo was about to continue walking but she felt a warm hand grasped hers tightly. She stopped, unsure of what was going on. "Wha-" She turned to him, brows furrowed in confusion and panic.

"Why did you leave me?" Syuusuke's gaze met with hers.

The question was brief and blunt… that was so like him, Tomoyo noted. Her eyes widened, mouth hung agape. "This time, tell me where's this going, Tomoyo." Syuusuke added that made her avert her gaze from those pure eyes.

"It's always a cross road out there, Syuusuke-kun." Tomoyo answered, bangs slightly covering her eyes. "Every path leads to something." This time, the grip of her cold hand on his became tighter.

Syuusuke, too, was baffled. It was always a cross road for him as well. Because he was afraid to cross it.

Tomoyo bit her lower lip. "I know that this is late, and I'll understand if you'll decline it." Syuusuke was speechless. "Would you like to cross it with me, Syuusuke-kun?"

For a moment, he didn't answer. Tomoyo looked up, expecting for the worst. How could she hope for something good to happen? He'd be angry at her. Who wouldn't? She just left him without saying goodbye, at least.

The next thing she knew, Syuusuke leaned his forehead against hers. His cerulean orbs were glistening somewhat with happiness when her lilac orbs caught sight of it. He was smiling a sincere smile. "How about we find out which way this path leads?"

Tomoyo could feel the same smile coming up to her lips, as well. For a moment, the past five years was forgotten and all she could think of was the new beginning that awaited her.

* * *

**So, what do you guys think? Hope the ending didn't disappoint you that much. It was originally supposed to be an angst fic, but it's a birthday gift so yeah. **

**Review? **


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